The innocents can all sleep safely – 18th July 1994

That day sure was young and nothing would have prepared us for the events of the evening. Here goes. As Broni and I sat eating our tea in the garden in the beautiful evening sun, Julie (evil soul) turned up and proudly announced she been to a solicitor and had got the letter stopping John and I from ‘harassing’ her and not allowing us to kick her out within two days. She said she’d go as soon as possible and well, I didn’t really care so long as she was on her way.

Then, pow! She said she’d spoken to Tony, our agent, and he said the owners wanted to put the house on the market so the tenancy wasn’t going to be renewed. This meant we had until the first of August to get out. Well I wasn’t impressed, just another of her lies (though I didn’t think she’d go that far – which was worrying, maybe there was some truth in it!?). Well, we just walked away and the phone rang and it was Tony, who was confirming that this was true. Wow! What a fucking bombshell!

He said the owners had heard about all the trouble and decided not to renew the tenancy. He was saying it was all down to Julie, according to him, and, of course, she was happy as hell. I was fucking furious that we should have to carry the can for her actions but Broni managed to calm me down and at the end of the day we figured it may work out quite well for us. We get everything packed and ready to send to Oz, move to Kerry’s while she’s away in Japan (for all of August) and basically have a good time for the last eight weeks here. A catalystic turnaround. Sure, our wonderful home won’t be there for our comfort but we’d have to leave sometime anyway.

Michelle was a bit upset too and had a few other ideas that maybe we weren’t getting the whole truth out of Tony and our minds were working overtime. John didn’t get back till about 11 and we shellshocked him with the news. We thought about our rights and all that stuff but me and Broni decided we’d go anyway – we had nothing to gain from contest ing the decision.

Friday, I was kind of shellshocked about the huge turnaround and thankfully Julie was out most of the day. She did come back in the evening though and so did the police! To see her! I tried to find out from the cop what it was about but he wouldn’t tell me, I did overhear her saying, “I’ve got the receipt” and him saying “Make a statement at the station as soon as you can.” Not till I mentioned this to Broni and she said it maybe about the video Tony took from her (which she had offered up to him against rent payment). Fucking hell – it all happens doesn’t it?

While all this was going on, Rob came down in the afternoon and we had a great time going through our poetry. By the time Broni was back home, we decided we needed Indian food and beer! An excellent meal in the evening provided us with pleasant relief from our mini stress out! Picking up a couple of bottles of wine, we got drunk watching our home movies and John Otway and passed out soon after.

In the morning we headed out, the three of us, across the lovely English countryside fields, red with poppies or blue with other flora, up to Salisbury to check on our wedding rings! I wanted a bit more done to mine but Broni was happy with hers – it being different to how we imagined, now a two piece affair – like an engagement ring that fits perfectly into the wedding band and when put together looks just like one ring.

We took Rob around the town which was very enjoyable in the hot noonday sun. I must tell you this boyish joke occurrence that happened to us totally by accident. We checked out Pizza Hut for some food and were being served by a pretty, friendly girl. I jokingly introduced her to Rob saying “By the way, this is Rob – listen to what he says ‘cos Rob is God”. ‘Rob is God’ was spray-painted by Steve on his amplifier and is a cool insert picture on the Thirst 7″ single). Rob, laterally (and literally) thinking, blurted out “It says so on my 7 inch!” We all burst out laughing and I apologetically tried to explain he’d got a record out! She was cool about it too.

Checked out the cathedral and sweet shop, getting some Jelly Bellies that came in such weird and wonderful colours and flavours such as buttered popcorn, cream soda, watermelon etc. Yum!

I’m going for the jackpot, boy, oh boy, oh boy – 14th July 1994

I was in the post office this morning and on the shelf were stacks of paper, writing paper, jotting paper, drawing paper and you know, I was tempted! I have paper here coming out my ears, but the blank piece of paper is like history waiting to be written. With the right manipulation and approach, the stark white could be turned into something of fortune, depth and beauty. I’m just fascinated by paper, I always have been and now I realise that it was my way of finding out that I wanted to be a writer. Like life telling me, destiny tapping on my shoulder. Of course it’s only now I’ve grown inside and have been able to see this.

With all the mad happenings here let me remember Monday briefly. It was another beautiful day and for the second day in a row we went to the beach, John and I took the tiny pathways route through the woods and as I took a corner there was a split in the path, split by some bracken. In two minds I thought I’d make it through the bracken, it not being far to the other side, not knowing that concealed within its green ferny leaves was a 2 foot round log (used for blocking off roads). My front wheel took it straight on and so it was, I flew through the air with the greatest of ease, landing twisted and facing the other way, partially stunned, as John came careering up behind me just managing to stop before running over my head. I wish I’d seen the accident and not been in it! Suffered cuts and bruises but more seriously, hurt my back and neck which now ache some, whiplash style.

Not to be deterred, we pedalled on down to the beach, stopping as we had the day before, to decide what action to take about Julie, housemate from hell. As it turns out I was finding more and more of her lies cropping up, even playing us off against our landlord/agent!

Onto the beach where Mike turned up – Mike may be moving into our room when we leave. He seems like a decent bloke, nice and quiet– just the kind of person it’d be cool to live with. John discovered he works at the same place as Fatty and said to Mike, “Oh, I expect you’ve heard what horrible people we are from him,” and Mike replied “don’t worry – he doesn’t like anyone!” Good that he’s not been put off.

The sea tonight was amazing – long slow waves, not crashing but just rumbling. Broni got right stuck in and we played ball for ages and roared helplessly with laughter at the fun we were having. John-boy joined us and we played several silly games. Later John and I had a great time throwing the American football up-and-down the beach getting some wicked spin and bullet throws and catches together. All this fun was just too much and slowly we made our way back up through the woods, John crashing and totally wrecking his pushbike in the process.

Now John’s new motorbike, there’s a story! He handed over £300 pounds cash for the bike and doesn’t have the guys address or any documents and realises two days later the tax disc is a stolen one. Luckily (!) the guy turns up a week later, John laying into him verbally because the bike is such a heap of shit! He says to call him “John ‘Gullible’ Ryan! I think he’s getting it sorted out now though. And sort of by now, Kind of, we are at yesterday and see my brief entry. Well, Julie turned up and John and I laid the law as such and told her to leave (her still telling us lies to our faces!) by Friday. No amount of tears and bullshit changes our minds and though it was a horrible thing to go through I feel quite pleased with how I coped with it. Of course, she hasn’t actually gone yet and I hope we don’t get any retaliation from her and her ugly brute man friends. So it is that I’m at home (Wednesday, today and tomorrow) to look after the house – just in case. It’s also giving me a good chance to catch up on things (Ha! Do you think I will?).

Despite staying up till three last night watching Brazil beat Sweden, Broni got me up at 8:30 and here I am, sunny backyard on the sweetest of days. And Italy beat Bulgaria and my prediction of some three weeks ago has come true, of a Brazil-Italy final and may the best team win on Sunday.

So it is, I kiss the lips of life and tasted sweetness. More, more, I want more.

We got sent some maps of Sydney yesterday and also a close-up roadmap of Allawah, the area we may be able to move straight into when we get there. And as I said then it hit me, like a 4 x 2, in two months I’ll be there and this map will be my hometown. You can imagine all the differences in the changes I am making, but try, really try to imagine being somewhere, know and understand one day and the next you are somewhere else, alien, not to be able to return for a good long time. Can you feel that 4 x 2? Scary and exciting!

A note here for my beautiful baby who has put up with me so well as I endeavour to watch every game of football I can at all hours. She was a little sleeping beauty last night as I crawled in next to her and showered her with deserved kisses and she unconsciously turned to let me in. I cuddled her to sleep and woke wrapped in her embrace once again and we talked about our dreams and our future. So lucky to have found one another (not that luck had anything to do with it but you know what I mean?). To be able to operate together and keep each other’s souls satisfied. And in our happiness, we will miss this place despite the urge to go.

But of course, we also remember that winters!

Enough for now, the day is young. Enjoy.

I got a Honda 125 in my shed and I don’t know how to put it back together again – 5th July 1994

Well, I didn’t hold out much hope and indeed, Ireland are out and on the next plane home, as they say, losing 2-0, with two ridiculous mistakes to let Holland in. A reasonable match, Broni took five though and watched ‘The Piano’ again on video upstairs.

John-boy turned up with newly purchased motorbike and face alight with delight. Then onto Kerry’s for me and Broni, with food and drink and fun on our minds.

Just before we left I let Julie know we were not very happy with the bills situation, particularly after she just got some money through and pissed it away in the pub. You know she told me she lent some money to someone!

Jen was already at Kerry’s which was a bit foreboding but we politely chatted away. 70-year-old Ron came from next door (such a cool bloke for his age – I’d like to be like him, I think, when I reach that age). Then Kerry’s mum and Liz and her two kids. Champagne was drunk and the story of Kerry’s surfing accident told each time someone else came round. Her face not looking as bad as expected.

She has a bomb, she has a plan, she kills imaginary men – 1st July 1994

Here’s more about learning to let go when things are out of your control.

Julie, one of our housemates, was totally pissed on Wednesday before we all went out to see John-boy performing in the play ‘The Got girls’ (more on that later). I took an instant dislike to her the day I met her (don’t ask me why – just one of those feelings) and she’s done nothing to impress since then (in about two months). Our cooker mysteriously got broken too and I can honestly say the rest of us would have owned up immediately to each other (all of us deny any knowledge).

Anyway, Wednesday, pissed as a rat in the afternoon, we eventually managed to organise her to get to come to this play. She’s bullshitting on about moving into our room after we leave (which, in everyone’s interest would not be a good idea) and also getting a dog! We said no way. She said she got in touch with Tony Newton, who acts as our landlord and he said it was okay and she, pathetically, keeps going on about it.

I started to worry a bit about her falling asleep drunk with a lit cigarette and also about the men she brings home sometimes from the pub. Anyways, she’s complaining about the telephone bill and hasn’t paid the rent, claiming Tony Newton knows all this.

So I ring Mr Newton on other business and just mentioned these things and ha! What do you know – he hasn’t heard from her at all!

What to do now I wonder – house meeting in order!! New girl, Michelle, moves in tomorrow and I don’t think she’s going to be too impressed either. well that’s some more gossip for you.

The play and John-boy were both excellent. Really funny and despite lots of mistakes was performed with heart and soul. More later.

Julie – 12th January 1988

I got your picture on my wall
I think maybe I should give you a call
I haven’t seen you for a year or two
I don’t know if I’d even recognise you
I know you just took me for a fool
But now we’re older and out of school
You’re someone I’d really like to see
I wonder if you’d even recognise me

5th Nov 2021 – It’s 1983/1984 – On my school bus was a girl called Annabel Frost and one day whilst looking out of my second-floor classroom I could see Annabel in her classroom on the ground floor in the building opposite. She was talking with this cute girl and I got their attention and from that point on I would regularly blow kisses out of the window whenever I would see her there. I found out her name – Julie Roberts but was somehow too shy to even have the courage to talk with her, let alone take it any further. The attached picture is a barely snuck shot in the playground one day. The days when no one wanted their picture taken!

Sometime in the following year (1985) Julie happened to be visiting Annabel in her village, which was one of our gang’s rotation of regular haunts and we got to hang out a bit in our wider circle of friends. I tried to lead her off, not for any nefarious activity but more to just talk alone and we did that in the local church doorway. I so desperately wanted to kiss her but was too shy to approach and also recognised the awkward position that that might put her in.

Anyway, she was quite interested in the fact that I had pierced my own nose twice and wanted hers pierced too. I told her I would do it and we arranged for her to come to my house in the days following. Oh my god! Julie Roberts would be alone with me in my bedroom! Better hide the stinky socks.

Again, I was so damn nervous and I couldn’t for the life of me understand if she was here just to get her nose pierced, how much she liked me or wanted to fumble around. I felt like I was acting like a gentleman by not initiating anything and leaving it for her to decide if there would be any making out.

Things were also frustrated a little by the fact that I spent part of the time with my tobacco-stained finger stuck up her nose and making her cry when trying to shove a sharp needle through. The needle wasn’t sharp enough, I wasn’t brave enough. She left in the end, both of us disappointed, one way or another.

And that was the last time I saw her! In 1988, her picture inspired this poem and, as I’m sure we all have similar pictures, left me wondering what might have been.

*The Week That Was – 9th April 1984

Record of the week: Self Abuse – Soldier EP, DOA – Bloodied But Unbowed LP (again)

9th April 1984
Physics – Hayward was in a good mood. Had a laugh. Maths – total fuckin’ shit. Took some photos with Bernice’s camera. Did some moonies. Social Studies – had a good debate about ‘class barriers’. H.E. – ok, did fuck all. Went to Burd’s. Went to Rupes with Burd on the back. Coming back, came off bike for first time. Came home, watched Hill Street Blues and something on Channel 4.

10th April 1984
R.E. – did some more work. PSCE – did nothing. Maths – shit. Biz – Julie hit me and wrote songs. Lunch – had a shit game of football. English – good laugh. Took photo of Mr King and some of our class. Took a photo of about 30 of us sneaking around by the pool. Even sexy Sue came over. P.E. – good game of football. Played some drums. Went to Jim’s. Went to Simon’s – didn’t get back til 12.

11th April 1984
H.E. – boring. Physics – nicked a stroboscope and seem to have gotten away with it. Half day cos of strike. Burd came back on our bus. Pissed around on mopeds but got told to stop it. Rupert came round. Did some drums. Got some fags. Burd went to catch bus – didn’t come but Jim came round earlier and took him back. Rupert went on later. Finished my project – did about 3 hours work to finish it off. Did a cassette for it as well. Fucking knackered now. Cat’s worried cos he’s not allowed out cos he’s having his nuts off tomorrow.

12th April 1984
Art – got on with some work. P.E. – won football – wasn’t a bad game. Lunch – Newman saw us smoking but didn’t do anything. Social – didn’t do much. Biz – did a crossword. Went home on Clarkes (?) – talked to Julie. Had a bath. Went down Gaunts – saw Dandy changing – nearly had a heart attack. Went to club. Bought tons of booze. Rupe’s dad brought it and Jez and Roo. Went to find party – couldn’t so went to Muz’s. Gave us a bottle of wine and I nicked another one. Drunk one – went up to Houldey’s. Dandy wasn’t wearing much. I got pissed. Came back. Put on DOA and nodded off.

13th April 1984
Woke up 11ish. Felt fucking awful. Did this and that. Went to find Muz. Wasn’t there. Came back. Did some drums. Went down shop. Bought some cream soda and crisps and fags. Went to find Muz again. Found him. Scott came along and his chain came off his bike. Got money off Muz. Came back. Saw Beki. Frost came along. Saw Paddy. Came back. Rang Zoe – she wasn’t there. Had a bath. Danced to strobe and DOA.

14th April 1984
Got up late. Went to Poole. Self Abuse single finally released so bought it. Me and Roggo came to the conclusion Poole’s boring. Bought booze. Came back. Practice drums. Got money off Muz. Went to collect Zoe from Bournemouth. Came back. Borrowed money to get some fags. Got her smoking. Rang Burd. Said we’d be going down. Started walking. Met Burd. Walked more to club. Zoe rang everyone under the sun. Cremated a rabbit. Started walking over to Roo’s. Met him halfway. Walked back to club. Had a chat in bus shelter. Wandered on back and here we are.

15th April 1984
Got up 10.30. Put on Self Abuse. Stayed in bed with Zoe in the morning. Took the dog for a walk. Had some food. Back into bed. More food. Zoe’s got lurgy on her face for some reason. Dunno how. Anyway – all sorts happened too disgusting for you to read.

*The Week That Was – 26th March 1984

Record of the week: Conflict – Cruise
Record of the month: Anti-Sect LP, Sex Gang Children – Children’s Prayer, Mauritia Mayer, Abyss, Confessions of Sin – Loose (Live)

26th March 1984
Woke up at 9 minutes to 8. Physics – had a go at Hayward. Maths – shit. Lunch – didn’t go for a fag. Social – messed around with Mandy and wrote a song. H.E. – had a go at Pritchard. Pissed off really. Watched some telly. Went down club – got some baccy. Bike’s not working properly. Watched Hill Street Blues.

27th March 1984
Got up at right time. Had Physics practical most of the morning. Went for a fag after it. Lunch – pissed around with Burd. Went to typing exam all afternoon. Did ok in that I think. Bus home was quite funny – it was very quiet. Look at bike to see if anything was visibly wrong. Went for a runaround – seems ok. Doing some more art – it’s coming on quite well. Enjoying The Dickies. Just about to watch 5-a-side football. Night, night.

28th March 1984
H.E – (?) with 4 years – had a chat with Sarah. Physics – organising the PCH party. Lunch – me, Jim and Burd went for a fag down in the woods. R.E – ok. English – did this play. Biz – had a chat with Julie. Maths – shit. Waiting to watch Milk Cup replay and soccer six later. Not a lot else really. Can’t wait for PCH. Liverpool 1-0 Everton. Went to sleep.

29th March 1984
Art – burnt a picture and nothing else. P.E. – played football, pissed around. Lunch – nicked some clackers (?). Should be able to get drums from Sponge. Played football. Social – did projects. Biz – did (?). English – read play. Went out to Just’s – gave cassette to his mum – he wasn’t in. Came back to Gaunts. Me, Muz, Burt and Graeme went up to Houldeys. Chased them home. Came back – typed up PCH, organising songs. Went to sleep.

30th March 1984
Assembly – snore. English – did fuck all. H.E. – wrote some songs. Maths – shit. Lunch – played football. Art – ok, new ideas for pictures. Biz – typed up PCH cos Bell wasn’t here again. Physics – pissed around – wrote a song ‘Apeshit Hayward’. Went to see Dandy. Went on over to Burd’s. Went to club with him and Ben. Went over to Roo’s – nicked his bike as he’s gone to Devon. Ben rode it, Burd on the back of me. Met Rich down at Gussage. Played cards in the Drovers. Did a smart wheelie on the way back. Burd came off the back. Came back to the club – me and Ben got chucked out. Came home. Watching horror film Dr Phibes Rises again – looks pretty silly.

31st Match 1984
Football’s not on so went to Poole. Burd and Ben were on bus – wrote song. Found out Mike doesn’t like me. Gilly was fucking following me everywhere. Met Paul and friends, still he followed. Met Simon, still he followed. Met Paul again. Finally Gilly pissed off. Got the bus back. Burd got on at Wimborne. He got off at my place. Ate some frogspawn, wrote some songs. Went to Houldey’s – tried to shit up Jamie. Put road sign in someone’s drive. Came back, recorded some stuff. Took Burd home. Came back, watched Comic Strip and some of the film. Also found out that can get some drums now. Get them on Monday.

1st April 1984
Got up. Did some typing. Chris came round. He went to get me some roly papers – told my mum he was getting some chocolates. Had some jam roly-poly. Pissed around doing fuck all. Watched TV. Went to Simon’s – didn’t stay long. He went and practised with Ian Bryant’s group. Came back, watched Spitting Image, film and Sky At Night.

*The Week That Was – 12th March 1984

Record of the week: Confessions Of Sin – Richochet or Roundabout (?) (live), Anti-Sect – In Darkness There Is No Choice, Sex Gang Children – Mauritia Mayer, Abyss, Deuche

12th March 1984
Rupert might go tonight. Physics – started new group, Pregnant Combine Harvesters. Maths – shit. Social Studies – had a laugh. H.E. – piss funny. Walked down to Wimborne. Collected moped. Found out I’m still not legal. Rode back. Rupert’s mum took us to Wimborne – got bus for Bournemouth. Went to gig – looking forward. Disgusting Pukey Scarves – not too bad. Someone (?) – good. Josh and John – fucking ace (bit like SPK). The Thing – just like Hawkwind – fucking good. Confessions Of Sin – bloody fucking amazing. Ended with Loose (again), bassist chucked his guitar about. Saw Neville there. Came back 10.45, got home 11.40 and here I am now.

13th March 1984
Going to look for new moped tomorrow. R.E. – ok. P.S.C.E. – wrote a song about Newtown (?). Maths – shit. Biz – crap. English – good. P.E. – played a serious game of basketball. Come home. Rang Simon, said practice was on. He rang back 10 minutes later – said it wasn’t. Went on moped to collect records off old Ratty. Was in pub. Had a coke – no d ‘n’ d. Went up to Simon’s – who wasn’t there. Came back. Ran out of petrol near Murray’s so left moped there. Pick it up tomorrow. Came back with Mum. Played records. Lost track of time doing art. 12.15 Mum told me to turn records down. I thought it was 11.15.

14th March 1984
Thinking of getting a DT50 depending how much. H.E. – time plan exam – piss boring – fucked it up. Lunchtime – went down to practice football – had a laugh. R.E. – ok. English – reading some ace poems. Biz – ok, electric typewriter. Maths – shit. Mum picked me up. Went to 3 Legged Cross and decided to get Kawasaki AE50 – looks good. Collect on Sunday (?) £625 (?) – on the road. Go get moped in a mo’. Went down – had a laugh. We got Burt’s trousers down for a laugh – he wasn’t too pleased. Went for a drive about on moped. Went to Horton and back. Watched football Derby 0-1 Plymouth.

15th March 1984
Looking forward to Sunday. Julie’s acting like she doesn’t want to go on Saturday. Maybe I don’t want her to now. Art – ok. P.E. – talking to Daisy in weight training room. Lunch – not a lot happened. Social – not too bad. Biz – ok, getting used to electric now. English – ok. Cleaned out Damien – fucking bit me again. The cat had a sniff at him too. Went to Gaunts. People in school – knocked on windows. We nicked Martin’s trousers – he started crying and went to tell his mum. Came back with a stick. He started smashing Jasper’s lights so Jasp hit him. Mark came back with a stick. They made up in the end. Saw cops on way home.

16th March 1984
English – pretty boring. H.E. – very boring. Maths – don’t remember. Lunch – must have been boring cos I don’t remember anything. Art – ok. Biz – ok. Physics – had a laugh. Writing more PCH. Went to Muz’s and chippy. Got bored so went to Houldey’s. Watched football. Southampton beat Liverpool 2-0. Got bored. Went back to Muz’s – nicked on of his mum’s fags – then she gave me one. Came back. Watching film ‘Tower of Evil’ while finishing Bloodstains cassette cover. Went to sleep

17th March 1984
Get up. Caught bus. Saw Gilby (?). Saw Jasper in Poole so went around with him – he was looking for Muz etc. Found them. Went back to Arndale. Met Lisa. Had a chat. Saw Justin. Not doing an awful lot. Met mother at 3.15. Went to Huxhams, Parkstone – got a bike jacket and reflector. Came back to Wimborne – found out we lost football 5-1. Jim got an own goal. Came back. Still looking forward to tomorrow. Went to Muz’s had a laugh in Gaunts knocking down hedges. Could have gone to Muz’s sister’s party. Started at 10 ended at 4. We didn’t have any way of getting back. Muz was a bit pissed off. Came home. Watched Joan Rivers and Comic Strip. Went to sleep.

18th March 1984
Got up 10. Had a fag. Put on Anti-Sect. Went to collect moped. Had a practice around the estate in 3X. Came back. Had dinner. Took dog. Went out again. Saw Chris. Went down to Witchampton. Saw Pru (?) and Carly. Went to Muz’s – he wasn’t in. Came back. Went out again. Went to Roo’s. He wasn’t in. Waited but left. Went to Muz’s – he wasn’t in. Went to Simon’s – he wasn’t in. So I went to Jim’s – he was in. Stayed there. Wrote a song. Had a couple of fags. Came back. Clocked up 43 miles. Watched Spitting Image. Had some semolina. Watched a film. Long weekend. It’s good. Went to sleep.